Article of luggage

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward an article of luggage including a handle and a body having an exterior portion and at least one internal compartment for storing one or more items. The body is made substantially of natural or synthetic leather. The exterior may include a first portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a first sleeve of a sports jersey of a sports team, the first portion being positioned on a first side of the bag and a second portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a second sleeve of the sports jersey and positioned on a second side of the bag opposite to the first side. The article may also include at least one of a sports logo, a team logo, a team name, a player name and a player number and a material covering having at least one of a color, pattern and design corresponding to the sports jersey. The article may further include a collar portion corresponding to a collar of the sports jersey, where the collar portion positioned on a top portion of the exterior of the bag.

CLAIM TO PRIORITY

The present disclosure claims priority from under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/484,471, filed Jul. 1, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward novel articles of luggage, and more particularly to novel upscale handbags.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Handbags are well known and have been used by people throughout history. In modern times, handbags have become a fashion accessory, with new styles of bags having different materials, colors, patterns, shapes and features being introduced every year by many designers and fashion companies.

Sports bags are also well known and used to carry sports equipment and sports clothes. They may be generally sized from about two (2) feet long, by one (1) foot wide and one (1) foot tall, to three (3) and four (4) feet long with corresponding width and height. Most, if not all, sports bags are typically drably decorated and usually made with dark colors.

With regard to sports, studies have determined that, for example, the percentage of women who consider themselves a fan of a professional sports team (e.g., football, basketball, baseball) is growing.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a fashionable article of luggage/handbag, which addresses, for example, women sports fans as well as men sports fans.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention present novel and non-obvious bags which incorporate one or more features of a sports uniform into a handbag or other luggage item.

Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, an article of luggage may include a handle and a body having an exterior portion and at least one internal compartment for storing one or more items. The exterior may include a first portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a first sleeve of a sports jersey (and/or sports uniform), positioned on a first side of the bag. The exterior may also include a second portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a second sleeve of the sports jersey, and may be positioned on a second side of the bag opposite to the first side.

In another embodiment of the invention, an article of luggage may include a body having an exterior portion and at least one internal compartment for storing one or more items. The exterior of the bag may include a material covering having at least one of a color, pattern and design corresponding to a sports jersey of a sports team.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, an article of luggage may include a body having an exterior portion and at least one internal compartment for storing one or more items, where the exterior comprises a collar portion corresponding to all or a portion of a collar of a sports jersey. The collar portion may be positioned on a top portion of the exterior of the bag.

In still yet another embodiment of the invention, an article of luggage may include a handle and a body having an exterior portion and at least one internal compartment for storing one or more items, where the body may be made substantially of natural or synthetic leather. The exterior may include a first portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a first sleeve of a sports jersey of a sports team, where the first portion being positioned on a first side of the bag and a second portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a second sleeve of the sports jersey and positioned on a second side of the bag opposite to the first side. The exterior may also include at least one of a sports logo, a team logo, a team name, a player name and a player number, a material covering having at least one of a color, pattern and design corresponding to the sports jersey and a collar portion corresponding to a collar of the sports jersey. The collar portion may be positioned on a top portion of the exterior of the bag.

Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention present a novel luggage item, which may be any one of a suitcase, a tote-bag, a handbag, a briefcase, or a purse. Such items may be used for/with and/or directed to any activity/association, including, for example, sports, and in particular, sports teams/franchises: e.g., basketball, baseball, football, soccer, tennis, golf and the like. Embodiments of the bag may be made of a multitude of materials which are currently used to make luggage and handbags in particular.

The above embodiments, which may include other features (described below) are both novel and non-obvious. These embodiments represent a first time where the features of a sports jersey are included as features of an article of luggage, and in particular, a handbag. Accordingly, other objects, features and advantages will become even more clearer with reference to the attached drawings (briefly described below) and detailed written description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is back view of a handbag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a front view of a handbag according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a back view of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a handbag according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a handbag according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a handbag according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate novel and non-obvious embodiments of articles of luggage according to the present invention. The features described below, one or more which may be included on an embodiment of the invention, represents a first time for the application of such features on an article of luggage. Moreover, such articles of luggage may include handbags, tote-bags, briefcase, suitcases, pocketbooks and purses, for example.

The particular novel and non-obvious features of some of the embodiments of the present invention are directed at the inclusion of sports team/franchise features in handbags, and in particular, high end, leather handbags, pocketbooks, garment bags and the like. The present invention marks the first time that such features (e.g., team/franchise color, jersey material, sleeves, collar, numbers, text, slogans, names and the like) have been incorporated into articles of luggage.

Accoridngly, a handbag 10 including features incorporated from the features of a sports jersey of a sports team (“Jersey-Handbag”). In some embodiments of the present invention, the Jersey-Handbag may incorporate features of corresponding sports jerseys of NBA® teams. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a handbag including features from the jersey of No. 15, Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets. With regard to the remainder of the illustrated embodiments, they include features of particular sports jerseys as follows:

-   -   FIGS. 2A-2B: Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers;     -   FIG. 3: Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets;     -   FIG. 4: Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks; and     -   FIG. 5: Chris Webber of the Sacramento Kings.

The handbag according to some embodiments of the invention comprises a body portion 12 and a handle (in this example, two straps) 14. The body portion includes an interior area or compartment 15 (not shown in FIG. 1; see FIG. 2B). The exterior of the body portion may include a covering material 24 (or the covering material may comprise the sides of the bag in some embodiments, thus defining the internal compartment) which preferably is a material similar or identical to a sports jersey material (an in particular, the material of a particular team/franchise), which thus may include any one or more of the color, pattern, design and texture of the particular sports team the bag is made to correspond to (e.g., the Denver Nuggets).

Left side 16 and right side 18 include the all or a portion of the sleeve area of the jersey. As shown in FIG. 1, the handbag material (e.g., leather), at ends 11 and 13, along with a zippered top 17, protrude, for example, through each respective sleeve portion.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 may also include text 22, which may be a sports logo, a team logo, a team name, a player name, a slogan, an advertisement, and a phrase. Moreover, a player number, 20, may also be included.

The embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B is similar to that of FIG. 1, save for the sleeve areas. Moreover, in this embodiment, the handbag may also include a collar portion 26, which corresponds to all or a potion of a sports jersey collar. The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 includes stripes 9, modeled after the jersey of the Houston Rockets, as well as the collar portion 26. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 both include the sleeve portions 16 and 18, as well as the collar portion 26.

Having now described a few embodiments of the invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing is merely illustrative and not limiting, having been presented by way of example only. Numerous modifications and other embodiments are within the scope of ordinary skill in the art and are contemplated as falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereto. 

1. An article of luggage comprising: a handle; and a body having an exterior portion and at least one internal compartment for storing one or more items, wherein the exterior comprises: a first portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a first sleeve of a sports jersey positioned on a first side of the bag; and a second portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a second sleeve of the sports jersey and positioned on a second side of the bag opposite to the first side.
 2. The article of luggage according to claim 1, wherein the sports jersey corresponds to a sports team.
 3. The article of luggage according to claim 1, wherein the exterior further includes at least one of a sports logo, a team logo, a team name, a player name, a player number, a slogan, an advertisement, and a phrase.
 4. The article of luggage according to claim 1, wherein the exterior includes a material covering having at least one of a color, pattern and design corresponding to a sports jersey of a sports team.
 5. The article of luggage according to claim 1, wherein the body is made substantially of natural or synthetic leather.
 6. The article of luggage according to claim 1, wherein the exterior further comprises a collar portion corresponding to a collar of the sports jersey, the collar portion positioned on a top portion of the exterior of the bag.
 7. The article of luggage according to claim 1, wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of: a handbag, a tote-bag, a suitcase, a briefcase and a purse.
 8. The article of luggage according to claim 1, wherein the interior includes a material covering having at least one of a color, pattern and design corresponding to a sports jersey of a sports team
 9. An article of luggage comprising a body having an exterior portion and at least one internal compartment for storing one or more items, wherein the exterior includes a material covering having at least one of a color, pattern and design corresponding to a sports jersey of a sports team.
 10. The article of luggage according to claim 9, wherein the exterior further includes a first portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a first sleeve of the sports jersey positioned on a first side of the bag and a second portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a second sleeve of the sports jersey and positioned on a second side of the bag opposite to the first side.
 11. The article of luggage according to claim 9, wherein the exterior further includes at least one of a sports logo, a team logo, a team name, a player name, a player number, a slogan, an advertisement, and a phrase.
 12. The article of luggage according to claim 9, wherein the body is made substantially of natural or synthetic leather.
 13. The article of luggage according to claim 9, wherein the exterior further comprises a collar portion corresponding to a collar of the sports jersey, the collar portion positioned on a top portion of the exterior of the bag.
 14. The article of luggage according to claim 9, wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of: a handbag, a tote-bag, a suitcase, a briefcase and a purse.
 15. An article of luggage comprising a body having an exterior portion and at least one internal compartment for storing one or more items, wherein the exterior comprises a collar portion corresponding to all or a portion of a collar of a sports jersey, the collar portion positioned on a top portion of the exterior of the bag.
 16. The article of luggage according to claim 15, further comprising a handle.
 17. An article of luggage comprising: a handle; and a body having an exterior portion and at least one internal compartment for storing one or more items, wherein the body is made substantially of natural or synthetic leather, and wherein the exterior comprises: a first portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a first sleeve of a sports jersey of a sports team, the first portion being positioned on a first side of the bag; a second portion substantially corresponding to all or a portion of a second sleeve of the sports jersey and positioned on a second side of the bag opposite to the first side; at least one of a sports logo, a team logo, a team name, a player name and a player number; a material covering having at least one of a color, pattern and design corresponding to the sports jersey; and a collar portion corresponding to a collar of the sports jersey, the collar portion positioned on a top portion of the exterior of the bag. 